Flush valve



L. R. HURST.

FLUSH VALVE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 16,1920.

Patanted Nov. 7, 1922,

Patented Nov. 7, i922.

tihiifififi STATES LINDSAY It. HURST, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

FLUSH venvn.

Application filed. July 16,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LIND'sAY R. HURST,

' of Louisville, in the county of Jefferson and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flush Valves; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to water distribution, and particularly to devices adapted for use in flushing closets and other outlets, my improved device being of the general type shown and described in Letters Patent No. 917301 granted to me April 6, 1909. The primary object of my invention is to provide an improved and simple valve mechanism capable of being connected directly with the standard size water supply pipe, the parts being so arranged as to insure a sufficient volume of water passing for flushing purposes upon unseating of the valve, and a further object is the provision of a simple electrically operated lever for effecting openin of the valve.

11 the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of my improved device. Figure 2 is a cross sectional view on line AB, Figure 1. Figure 3 is a view ShOWiIlg a manually operable handle substituted for the electrically operated lever mechanism shown in Figure 1.

The body of my improved device 18 indicated at 1. It is preferably a single casting of approximately cylindrical form throughout its greater portion. Within the body or casing is a partition 2 haying a centrally disposed opening, the partition forming a seat for a ball valve 3 which normally closes the opening therein. Directly below the partition is a cylinder 4 spaced from the walls or" the main body but having suitable web connections therewith for supporting the cylinder. A piston 5 is fitted within the cylinder and has a hollow stem 6 projecting upwardly therefrom. The extreme upper end of the hollow stem is outwardly flared to form. a cup-like support 7 which is efiective to hold the ball valve when the piston is moved upwardly to unseat the valve. At a point slightly below the support 7 the stem is provided with a lateral aperture 8 which is controlled by 1920. Serial No. 396,798.

a flat sided screw 9 threaded in the upper end of the hollow stem. lVith the piston in its lowermost position in the cylinder the aperture 8 is closed from the outside by the wall of a guiding web 10. An upwardly extending finger 12 supported by a plug 13 screwed into a web 14 of the body proects into the hollow stem 6, the finger at its lower end having a snug fit with the stem to prevent passage of water when the piston is at its lowermost point. The upper end of the finger is tapered to provide a flattened extremity, as at 15. In addition to acting as a guide for the piston and a closure for the stem when the piston is in its lower positlon, this finger is also effective for maintalning the hollow stem clear of sediment or other water impeding accumulations. The raised portion 16 of the'plug 13 acts as a stop to limit the movement of the piston.

At 20 I have indicated a by-pass which communicates with the main passage of the device through an opening 21 above the partition 2, a spring actuated disk valve 22 normally shutting ofi connection between the main discharge and the by-pass. A. spindle 2a of the disk valve 22 )rojects outwardlv through a boss 25 on the body 1 within which is fitted suitable packing, a coiled spring 26 encircling the stem with one end against the packing and the other seated against a head 27 on the stem. A screw cap 28 is adapted to fit over the boss 25, and this cap has an arm 29 upon which is fitted the magnet of a solenoid 30, the core 31 of the magnet having a pivoted connection with a lever arm 32 eccentrically fulcrumed to the cap with its end in engagement with the head 27. The magnet is suitably connected with a source of electric supply and when energized will draw the core upwardly so as to apply leverage to the valve 22 so to unseat it and open communication between the main passage of the body 1 and the bypass.

As indicated in Figure 3, in lieu of the electric manipulation of the valve the latter may be actuated by a handle 35 fitted within a cap 36.

My improved valve mechanism is connected directly with the water supply of a house or other building and to the closet or other receptacle. Manipulation of the valve 22 will allow the water under pressure in the valve chamber to pass into the by-pass and downwardly therethrough and into contact with the piston 5, the pressure forcing the piston and its stem upwardly. This efi'ects unseating of the ball valve by engagement of the flared end of the stem with the valve. As the valve is so unseated the water will pass directly through the valve body and into the closet connection. Pressure on the valve 22 having been released the valve is seated under the influence of its spring 26 thus closing communication between the. main passage and the bypass. The water confined in the by-pass and under the piston will now be forced upwardly through the hollow stem and out into the m'ain passage. This efi'ects a slow closing of the valve since the direct pressure on the piston from above is exerted against the pressure within the by-pass and beneath the piston. The water forced upwardly through the stem is discharged through the lateral aperture 8, and some of this water may also find egress through the upper extremity of the stem. In order to prevent hammering action as the piston reaches its lowermost point the aperture 8 will be gradually closed by the Wall of the web 10 as the piston is seated. The finger 12 acts as a guide for the piston and as the latter approaches its lowermost position the opemng in the'stem will be closed by the enlarged part of the finger. Any sediment or other accumulation on the walls of the stem will be cleared by the finger, the piston having a tendency to turn under the pressure of the water. The peculiar formation of the finger insures this cleansing action of the walls.

The advantages of my invention will be apparent. T have produced a simple mechanism which is readily manufactured with a minimum cost. It will be noted that the body of the valve is cast in one piece thus eliminating much machining; that the arrangement of the valve and the piston for displacing it and timing its return to its seat are arranged in a direct line with the passage of water through the valve to the point to be flushed and that this arrangement precludes likelihood of the parts getting out of order. My improved valve is designed to permit the water passing straight through from the source of supply to the flushing device, and the construction permits the use of a smaller supply pipe and less pressure than any known devices and with a maximum pressure at the flush point, and this straightway passage of the water reduces friction between the parts. Valve mechanism embodying the features of my device may readily be applied to toilets and all parts hidden from View, and where the valve is to be operated by electric current, no part of the mechanism need be exposed save a push button for completing the circuit.

I claim as my invention:

1. A flushing device including a casing having an inlet and an outlet in direct line, a main valve for controlling communication between said inlet and outlet, a cylinder beneath said valve, a piston in said cylinder having an upwardly projecting hollow stem for unseating said main valve when the piston is moved upward, said stem having a valve support at its upper end and being provided with alateral aperture beneath said support, means in said stem for adjustably controlling the area of said aperture, :1 bypass leading from the inlet side of said casing to the outlet side beneath said piston, a spring-actuated valve for controlling communication between said' inlet and outlet through said Toy-pass to permit pressure to be applied to said piston to unseat said main valve, said hollow stem and its aperyture forming a timing device for the escape of water beneath said piston as the latter is forced downwardly to permit seating of said main valve.

2. A flushing device including a casing having an inlet and an outlet in direct line, a mainvalve for controlling communication between said inlet and outlet, a cylinder beneath said valve, a piston in said cylinder having an upwardly projecting hollow stem for unseating said main valve when the piston is moved upward, said stem having a valve support at its upper end and being provided with a lateral aperture beneath said support, means in said stem for adjustably controlling the area of said aperture, an upwardly extending finger for closing communication through said hollow stem when said piston is at its lowermost point in said cylinder, a by-pass leading from the inlet side of said casing to the outlet side beneath said piston, a spring-actuated valve for controlling communication between said inlet and outlet through said by-pass to permit pressure to be applied to said piston to unseat said main valve, said hollow stem and its aperture forming a timing device for the escape of water beneath said piston as the latter is forced downwardly to permit seating of said main valve.

3. A flushing device including a casing having an inlet and an outlet in direct line, a main valve for controlling communication between said inlet and outlet, a cylinder beneath said valve, a piston in said cylinder having an upwardly projecting hollow stem for unseating said main valve when the piston is moved upward, said stem having a valve support at its upper end and being provided with a lateral aperture beneath said support, means in said stem for adjustably controlling the area of said aperture, a guide for said stem extending transversely of said casing, said guide forming 'a closure for said aperture when said pistonand stem are in their lowermost position, a by-pass leading from the inlet side of said casing to the outlet side beneath said piston, a springaotuated valve for controlling communication between said inlet and outlet through said by-pass to permit pressure to be applied to said piston to unseat said main valve, said hollow stem and its aperture 10 forming a timing device forthe escape of water beneath said piston asthe latter is forced downwardly to permit seatingof said main valve.

specification.

LINDSAY R. HURST. 

